Friday, January 31, 2014

The other day I was looking through all my papers for something and came across this piece I saved from long ago. I thought it would make for a nice series on the blog. I just love this sort of thing. So here we go.

The next time you are going to take a bath or shower and complain because the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be with life in the 1500's.

Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May and were still smelling pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide body odor.
Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privelege of the nice clean water, then all the sons and other men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it, hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water."

Thursday, January 30, 2014

It is fascinating to think this huge mass of rock was once part of the greater land mass which it has parted from and the connecting land between is slowly eroding away. It too sits alone. With that huge fissure running down the side someday it will split in two. Now wouldn't that be an event to behold?

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Not so sure about that quote these days. I've been reading where marked increases of radioactivity have been showing up in all forms of sea life here on the west coast due to the Fukushima disaster. Radioactivity or not, I don't think I'd eat kelp although many people do.

On a side note, on the drive out to the coast I was on a two-lane road passing through some redwoods. Up ahead was something on the center line and as I got nearer, it moved right into my lane. A screwy squirrel. As squirrels always do, he stops, decides to go back the other way, changes his mind, turns back and bumpty-bump - right over him. I looked in my rear view mirror expecting to see a long furry tail twitching but no, he scampers off to the side of the road. "He made it!" I think just the plastic up front under the car's engine is all that hit him. Probably rolled him over and he'll be a bit sore for a day or two. I wonder if squirrels can learn from close encounters like that. Probably not.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Part of making this resolution public on the blog was by doing so forced me to a commitment. "Well now I haveto do this". So I got right to it. Initially I thought it would be fun and challenging to create something digitally on the iPad through a couple of sketching and drawing apps I installed. I sent away for a special pen designed for this sort of thing and sat down trying to learn this new form of art. Well after several days and numerous attempts I just wasn't "feeling it". I came to the realization that there was no substitute for the feel of putting a pen point to paper. There is a lot more precision and control to be had the old fashion way. I'll not give up on iPad art but for now I'll stick to what I know.

Long ago I did a portrait of a dog we had. It was a really nice piece if I do say so myself and unfortunately I have lost it. I don't know where it is. At any rate, I decided to do a portrait of my little buddy. Once I got started on the drawing, it felt good. It was a nice feeling to be once again doing pen and ink after way too long having not done any. I held myself to no more an hour a day working on it. After a few days I realized I should have selected an easier subject to start on being as rusty as I am having lost some of the skill and technique I once had. Nothing is better for improvement than practice. And too, trying to get a cat to sit still for an hour is a challenge in itself. Try it some time. (Just kidding. I had a picture to work from.) Anyway, I reached a point where dissatisfaction started to creep in and when that happens it is best to stop and move on, and so I did. But it was a good exercise in getting the juices flowing once again and in that I am quite pleased. I am working on another piece now and later on I'll do another one of Sinbad, a much better one for he deserves it. Trust me, I'll not misplace it.